Just two years after her Oscar success for Monster she was nominated for Best Actress for a second time for another knockout performance in North Country.

Directed by Niki Caro the movie was inspired by the book Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law by Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler.

Theron took on the role of Josey Aimes in a movie that was a fictionalised account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States -- Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit.

It was another powerful and emotional performance from Theron as she portrayed Josie as a woman of real strength.

She was nominated for another Best Actress Oscar but lost out to Reese Witherspoon for her portrayal of June Carter in Walk The Line.

- In The Valley of Elah

In The Valley of Elah saw Theron play a support role to Tommy Lee Jones but it is another very strong performance from the actress.

Directed by Paul Haggis In The Valley of Elah was just one of a string of Iraq/Afghanistan war movies that were released at this time - but this is one of the best.

The movie follows a retired military investigator works with a police detective to uncover the truth behind his son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

Theron plays Det. Emily Sanders who aids Tommy Lee Jones' character in the search for his son but who becomes personally involved in the case.

Both Jones and Theron deliver stunning performances in this honest portrayal of the aftermath of war.

- Young Adult

Theron had all the critics raving again earlier this year when she returned to the big screen for Young Adult.

The latest project from director Jason Reitman the movie followed Mavis who, after her divorce, returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend, who is now happily married and has a newborn daughter.

It's not very often that an actress gets handed such a well developed flawed character and Theron takes this character and really runs with it.

Mavis is a character who is unwilling to accept that she is getting older and her hilarious behaviour just masks a whole world of pain, which Theron nails to perfection.

While many expected Theron to pick up another Best Actress nod for her performance she did miss out.

This week see her take on the role of Meredith Vickers in the movie Prometheus who is a Weyland Corporation employee who is sent on the expedition to monitor it for the company.

But Vickers is a character with a secret and she has her own reasons for wanting to be on the expedition.

In Snow White and the Huntsman she plays evil Queen Ravenna who is desperate to stay young forever. She sends out the huntsman to kill Snow White, who she fears will overthrown her.